Hi Dawn123,
Welcome to the forums and thanks for being
here. I've been here for a little while and I think you're in good
company! It's also totally okay that you're not wanting to share too much
and I don't want to ever pressure you into doing so.
I'm sorry you had such a bad experience on
medication. I've had that too and it's so hard because it's impossible to
know how we'll react. Having said that, there are other medications out
there - so there is every possibility you could find one that sits well with
you. It might be worth chatting to your
GP or psychiatrist about your concerns – things like SSRI’s or SNRI’s work
differently in the body for instance, so learning why one thing helps and
another doesn’t is important.
To answer your questions about medication -
generally yes, you have the right to decide and make decisions on your
treatment and medication. The only exemption here is from the Mental
Health Act, which basically says that if someone is suicidal/at risk and
refusing any sort of help they could go into hospital without their consent and
potentially given medication. That's obviously the worst-case scenario
and it doesn't sound like your suicidal - so I'm just being super transparent
so you know what your rights are.
Some people choose to take medication and not
go to therapy, others might go to therapy and not take medication, others might
do both, or neither. There’s no clear-cut
way to get better. I’ve been in all of
these boats! It’s up to you what feels
right for you – you’re in charge of your treatment and everyone is there to
support you. If medication is not
something you’re comfortable with, you have every right to say so – or to ask
questions.
Sometimes things can feel slow too – I understand
that. Perhaps it might be worth chatting
to your psychologist to see if there are other things he/she can recommend? There are some free mental health tools and
courses online, or perhaps an in-person support group – or even finding your
own ways that feel like a good step in the right direction.
I hope this is somewhat helpful! Sorry for the very long post! Wanted to make sure I’d covered everything
and given you lots of info. Hope you
enjoy being on the forums.
